The 2025 Players Championship stands out as the most significant tournament on the PGA Tour schedule each year, offering the largest prize purse to golfers. This year, a staggering total of $25 million was available at TPC Sawgrass, with players who made the cut vying for a share of the biggest prize fund of the season. However, the tournament proved to be so competitive that 72 holes were not enough to determine a champion.
In an exciting twist, over $7 million remained unclaimed as Rory McIlroy and J.J. Spaun entered a dramatic three-hole aggregate playoff on Monday. Ultimately, McIlroy emerged victorious, securing his second Players Championship title. He birdied the first hole and maintained his lead throughout the chilly and windy conditions at TPC Sawgrass.
The winner's share for this prestigious tournament stood at $4.5 million for the second consecutive year, making it the highest payout in the 2024-25 season, surpassing even the four major championships. To claim this impressive check, McIlroy bested Spaun by two strokes across the challenging 16th, 17th, and 18th holes. In doing so, he took home the coveted prize, which was nearly double the amount Spaun will earn for his commendable second-place finish.
While The Players Championship is neither classified as a major nor one of the PGA Tour's signature events, its purse has notable similarities with those tournaments. Each of the top 40 players by the end of the week will clear six figures in earnings, with those finishing inside the top 13 guaranteed a minimum payout of at least $500,000. Moreover, golfers who secure a spot in the top five will each receive a remarkable seven-figure payout.
As the 2025 season progresses, here are the winners from the biggest-money events on the PGA Tour thus far:
The Sentry: Hideki Matsuyama - $3.6 million Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Rory McIlroy - $3.6 million Genesis Invitational: Ludvig Åberg - $4 million Arnold Palmer Invitational: Russell Henley - $4 million The Players Championship: Rory McIlroy - $4.5 millionLet's take a closer look at the 2025 Players Championship payout, which details the prize money distributed among the top 65 players who made the cut and played over the weekend at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Total purse: $25 million
